


Changes

by dancey94



Series: Stucky's Endgame [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), M/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 10:03:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19148821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancey94/pseuds/dancey94
Summary: After all the years spent fighting, Bucky and Steve deserve some peace. But they're not leaving the world on its own.





	Changes

**Author's Note:**

> so, uh... this is, I think, going to be a trilogy  
> the last part will be smut  
> they earned it

The sun was struggling to get through the curtains in the windows as Bucky’s eyes opened. He thought, if for the rest of his life he was going to wake up like that, he’d gladly let Thanos dust him again. If for the rest of his days the first thing to see was Steve’s precious face, he could begin pushing away the memories of being snatched away from his friend. If that was the eventual resolution to their fight, he could live with that.

Not wanting to wake Steve up, Bucky disentangled himself from their embrace and rose from the bed. One more glance, one more check if Steve was still there, if he was _really_ there, and Bucky headed for the bathroom.

After a quick refreshment, he looked in the small mirror above the sink. He’d changed so profoundly. He could remember his face from the 1940s: the clean-shaven cheeks, short, neatly cut hair. His appearance was impeccable.

Yet Steve had told him the long hair suited him. And that he didn’t mind the beard which must have scratched him pretty badly the previous evening. It just didn’t seem to matter to Steve or at least he had been tactful enough to act like it didn’t.

But it bothered Bucky. True, he wasn’t the eligible soldier in demand anymore, but that didn’t mean he was going to let himself loose. Unhappy about the low standard of the bathroom and the lack of things he needed, Bucky stepped outside. He raised Steve’s jacket from the floor and pocketed it. Lucky me, he thought as he counted the contents. Then, he put on the jacket and left the room, once more catching a glimpse of Steve’s resting face.

There was a little convenience store across the road. Convenient indeed. Bucky found there everything he needed and Steve’s money was enough to buy all those things. In less than a quarter, Bucky was back in the small bathroom of their motel room.

He put a razor quite hesitantly on the edge of the sink, then applied shaving cream on his beard. Suddenly, it appeared a huge decision, though it wasn’t a point of no return. The hair would grow back. But it wasn’t about the hair. It was about growing, though. Bucky was no longer the Winter Soldier. He was no soldier at all. He was something else entirely. Something more and something less.

With the first swipe of the blade, Bucky felt his face already getting lighter. That shaved strip of smooth skin was incongruous with the rest of his image.

Another swipe followed.

And another one. Until half of Bucky’s face seemed just like from before the war.

When he was done, he wiped his face with a wet towel and faced himself in the mirror. There he was, partly changed and somewhat the same as he’d always been.

A knock on the door was what brought him back to reality.

“Bucky?”

“Come in.”

The door opened, revealing the fair-haired man whom Bucky had known all his life. But then it hit him – when they last saw each other, back in Wakanda, Steve had longer hair and a beard. For Steve, five years had passed before he could meet his friend again. Five years.

When he saw the look on Steve’s face, he realized how he must have seemed.

“I know you said–”

“No, it’s good. It’s okay.” Steve interrupted. Then, after a second glance, he said with a smile, “I remember that night at the bar when I asked you if you’d follow me as Captain America. I wanted to kiss you there and then.”

“And I was so jealous when agent Carter appeared.”

Steve’s smile faded.

“She was probably jealous of you, too.”

“Do you regret not being able to have a life with her?” Bucky asked, realizing only too late that he might have crossed the line.

Steve took a few steps closer to Bucky and leant against the edge of the sink. “You know, I was _this close_ to going back there. I guess it’ll always be at the back of my head. But I’d never abandon you.” Steve paused and looked down at the tiles on the floor. “Peggy had a beautiful life. A husband and kids. I wouldn’t dare to take that away from her. Even if she didn’t know.”

“So noble,” Bucky remarked, hoping not to sound too mocking.

“I’m going to text Sam,” Steve said, changing the subject.

“Are you ready to give it up?”

“As ready as I’ll ever get.”

“And you’re still certain about this?”

“Are _you_ having second thoughts?”

Bucky avoided Steve’s gaze. He shoved the razor and the rest of the things into a small bag as he spoke, “I just don’t want you to have any regrets. About anything.”

Steve placed a palm on Bucky’s now smooth cheek. “I don’t mind regretting. I make my own choices. And I face the consequences.”

“That didn’t sound ominous at all.”

Steve only grinned at Bucky and kissed his forehead as he walked out of the bathroom.

 

*****

 

“How about a cup of coffee first?” Steve suggested.

Bucky nodded in reply. Then, he realized he owed his friend a confession. “Actually, I took some of your money.”

“It’s okay. We can stop at my apartment on the way. I have a card there.”

“That reminds me…I’ll have to look for a place to stay. I doubt the Avengers would provide me with my own quarters.”

“I guess S.H.I.E.L.D. could find you a dwelling.”

Bucky’s eyes said it all. There was no way in hell he would be staying at S.H.I.E.L.D.’s quarters. Not that they were happily offering him anything.

“Or,” Steve continued, “you could just stay at my place. Till you figure it out. It’d make certain things easier.”

The roles changed impossibly, Bucky thought. Was he truly going to live under Steve’s protective wing from now on?

“I’m just saying,” Steve concluded when Bucky gave no response.

“Yeah. No, I get it. And I appreciate it.”

Steve nodded and didn’t question Bucky’s decision. Which Bucky appreciated even more.

When Steve opened the door to his apartment, Bucky felt a lump in his throat. The last time he’d been at Steve’s place was in the previous century. He was giddy to see how his friend lived now, what changed, what things he liked now, what he kept and cherished.

Then, it hit him again. _Five years_. He was getting tired of that space in time – that window that had grown between them. At least for Steve.

Bucky followed Steve inside, taking each step hesitantly.

The place was modestly decorated. There were glasses and mugs on display. A few shelves were full of books that Bucky never heard of. There was not much furniture altogether. Just some cabinets, a sofa, a vinyl recorder. Bucky decided he liked it – the raw arrangement of things. It made it seem almost impersonal.

He watched Steve move around with grace, calm and relaxed, and wondered if it was truly a home Steve had created for himself there.

“Where would I stay, in this plan of yours?”

“There’s a room I– Buck.” Steve approached Bucky with determination written on his face. “We’ve slept in one bed. We’ve kissed. I don’t want to assume–”

“Neither do I.”

“So do we agree on this?”

“You still snore,” Bucky said mockingly.

“You still grab the sheets and wrap yourself in it like a burrito.”

“It’s going to be a long lifetime,” Bucky concluded with a grin, then looked around again.

“Do you like it here?” Steve asked.

“I’ve seen worse.”

Steve’s laugh was warm and open, carefree. “There’s always other options.”

“No, I like it here.”

As Steve passed Bucky, he brushed the small of Bucky’s back. It was a reassuring gesture, yet there was an indescribable gentleness mixed with a promise in that one simple touch.

“Let’s go. When Sam isn’t the one being late, he doesn’t stop complaining about the person who is.”

 

*****

 

Bucky wondered, as they were passing another ghost town, another forest, another meadow, where exactly they were heading. They’d finished their coffee over an hour before and set off to meet Sam. Steve hadn’t told Bucky their destination and Bucky hadn’t asked. So far, he’d been mostly looking out the window, glancing from time to time at Steve in the seat next to him.

When Steve turned to look at him, Bucky smiled warmly. His eyes shifted to Steve’s hands on the wheel. Bucky never actually got to pass a driving license test. He was proud Steve had, though.

“I’ll teach you,” Steve said, obviously correctly interpreting Bucky’s thoughts. “If you want.”

“I’d actually like you to take me for a bike ride.”

Steve nodded in reply, his eyes back on the road. He took one hand off the wheel to press a button on the dash which released a symphony of melodies. Multiple voices engaged in a heated debate. Another channel, another melody.

“What happened to good old music?” Bucky asked nostalgically.

“Some of it is still nice.”

“How do people dance to _this_?”

Bucky’s indignation made Steve laugh, which in turn made Bucky smile wider.

“Our first bike ride will be to a dance club, then.”

“Oh yeah? Gonna teach me how to dance, too?”

The joke seemed to fall flat, as Steve’s smile faded, leaving place for a nostalgic glare into the distance. With his eyes still on the road, Steve wasn’t really looking forward but back into the past. Suddenly, he reached out his open palm, waiting for Bucky to take it. So Bucky did. He placed his own hand on top of Steve’s and felt their fingers entwine.

Then, Steve brought Bucky’s hand to his lips and kissed it. Those simple, gentle gestures of affection didn’t exactly surprise Bucky but they _were_ clear signs of something weighing on Steve’s mind.

“We’ll dance,” Bucky assured, seeing Steve’s hesitation.

“I know we will. I’m… I think it finally dawned on me.”

“What?”

“That I’ve been waiting all that time for nothing, hoping for something I’ve had all along. _You_ ’ve always been the right partner.”

Bucky smiled shyly at the remark. He’d always hoped he had been, but never dared to imply anything. Either Steve saw it or he didn’t. With a heavy sigh of relief, Bucky let himself grin at the fact that Steve _did_ finally see it.

Keeping the grin on his face, Bucky turned towards the window. The sun was shining brightly – one of the hottest days of that summer – a most memorable summer, when they fought and won the battle of their lives and Steve was about to pass on his shield and his role as Captain America. Just when he indisputably proved his worth to himself and everyone else, he was going to resign.

It wouldn’t be a first, either. But this time, finally, it wouldn’t be for Bucky’s sake. Well, not entirely, anyway.

Steve parked at the same time as Sam did, which, frankly, was a relief. No lectures, no mocking remarks about driving like grandpas. The worst that Bucky expected were comments about his and Steve’s night.

Bucky got out of the car first, right after catching a glimpse of Steve behind the wheel for what he believed was the last time before Steve Rogers would forever remain a World War II soldier and the first Captain America.

“Managed to catch up?” Sam asked as he shook Bucky’s hand. They even hugged, briefly but with enough affection and acknowledgement of their friendship.

“Feels like that’s all we ever do,” Bucky replied.

Sam’s eyes focused on the driver’s door that slowly opened and revealed the blond hero. God, Bucky could barely believe that was his Steve from a hundred years back. Hell, he could hardly recognize himself.

Steve stepped closer and shook hands with Sam. Smiles ghosted on both their faces. Bucky got the impression that somehow all three of them knew what was about to happen. And yet none seemed prepared.

“Wanna tell me why we’re here?” Sam asked.

“Remember when you asked me what made me happy?”

Sam nodded, his eyes shifted from Steve to Bucky, then back to Steve. Suspecting where this was going, Bucky rolled his eyes. At the same time, he blushed furiously.

“Finally figured it out?”

“Turns out I’ve always known. It just took me a while to realize.”

“Well, I’m happy for you. Both of you.”

Steve nodded as he glanced at Bucky. It really was high time they stopped with the furtive little exchanges.

“So does that mean I’m gonna see more of those lovey-dovey expressions? ‘Cause if that’s the case, I’m–”

“No, actually,” Steve interrupted. “I asked you to meet us here to say goodbye.”

Sam’s eyebrows rose in silent confusion. Then, his features softened. It wasn’t a complete surprise to anybody, Bucky thought. Their trio was never going to last forever. And finally, after years of battles – those that Bucky fought willingly and not – they earned their right to stop fighting.

“Gonna miss you, Cap,” Sam said. “Not gonna lie, the world felt much safer with Captain America in it.”

“Well, that’s not going to change.” Steve turned to Bucky and nodded once, giving him a sign. With a faint smile, Bucky got back to the car to retrieve something. It wasn’t particularly heavy but with every step Bucky felt as if he was being pulled to the ground with more and more force. He handed the item to Steve, locking eyes with the man.

Sam took a deep breath as he watched the unhurried movements. It seemed like a ceremony. The slow passage of a sacred item from hands to hands with utmost care and recognition of the profundity of the moment.

“Try it on,” Steve said as he offered Sam the shield.

After little hesitation, Sam took the shield from Steve’s hands and held it like he’d seen so many times Steve had.

“How does it feel?”

“Like it’s someone else’s.”

“Well, it isn’t. It fits perfectly.”

For a moment, Sam looked away. His eyes wandered up in an attempt to drive away the tears that were clearly gathering there. His breathing was becoming uneven. He swallowed hard. Then, he faced Steve.

“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will.”

They shook hands on that. Then, Sam turned to Bucky.

“Try not to kill him, okay?”

With a grin, Bucky offered his hand for Sam to shake, too.

Goodbyes having been exchanged, Steve and Bucky got back into the car.

“Where to now?” Bucky asked as Steve started the engine.

“Wherever the hell we want.”


End file.
